Laparoscopic Azygoportal Disconnection Research Articles

Minimally invasive ways to treat and prevent gastroesophageal portal bleeding

Aim. To analyze the results of minimally invasive techniques to prevent and treat gastroesophageal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis.Materials and methods. The study included 997 patients with liver cirrhosis: Child-Pugh class A – 21.7%; class B – 48.8%; class C – 29.5%. Esophageal varices of Grades III–IV were diagnosed in 95.5% of the patients, while gastric varices were observed in 17.4% of the patients. The following methods were used: endoscopic ligation, endoscopic sclerotherapy, TIPS, laparoscopic azygoportal disconnection, and distal splenorenal anastomosis.Results. Following endoscopic procedures aimed at preventing the onset of gastroesophageal bleeding, variceal recurrence and bleeding were observed in 35.9% and 18.6% of cases, respectively. The efficacy of endoscopic ligation in case of bleeding amounted to 91.2%. Multiple endoscopic procedures provided means to treat esophageal and gastric varices in 56.2% of the patients. Rebleeding was observed in 9.3% of the patients, while esophageal and gastric varices persisted in 34.3% of the patients. TIPS was found to significantly reduce portal pressure and the grade of varices, with encephalopathy developing in 41.4% of the patients. In the long-term period, stent dysfunction was diagnosed in 22.5% of cases, while bleeding recurred in 10%. Laparoscopic azygoportal disconnection contributed to the regression of esophageal and gastric varices. In the long-term period, bleeding recurred in 42.3% of cases. Laparoscopic distal splenorenal anastomosis reliably prevented the recurrence of bleeding. No shunt thrombosis or lethal outcomes were observed, while the incidence of encephalopathy amounted to 14.7%.Conclusion. A sufficient number of minimally invasive methods are currently available in the treatment and prevention of gastroesophageal portal bleeding. A case-specific approach to the choice of measures aimed at treating and preventing gastroesophageal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis is required, taking into account the degree of decompensation of portal hypertension and the severity of liver dysfunction.

Portal hypertension complicated by bleeding from esophageal and gastric varices: the present state of the problem of treatment and prevention

Background. Objective: to evaluate the effectiveness of comprehensive treatment and prevention of bleeding from esophageal and gastric varices in portal hypertension, including with the use of minimally invasive methods. Material and me­thods. The results of treatment were analyzed in 972 patients with portal hypertension who were treated in the HI “City Clinical Hospital 4 of Grodno” in the period from 2012 to 2016. Results. Endoscopic sclerotherapy of bleeding esophageal and gastric varices was successfully used in 67 patients with portal hypertension. Endoscopic ligation was performed in 12 patients. Sengstaken-Blakemore tube was used in 198 patients, while 22.7 % of them observed a relapse of bleeding after 12 hours. Endoscopic sclerotherapy for bleeding prevention was applied in 90 patients. Ten operations of azygoportal disconnection in the modification of Paciora were performed due to the ineffectiveness of other methods of hemostasis, 7 patients died. Seventeen operations of azygoportal disconnection in the modification of Sugiura-Futagawa and Hassab were carried out in 2012–2017, 1 patient died on the 11th day due to the progression of hepatic insufficiency. Sixteen operations of laparoscopic azygoportal disconnection, 15 transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts were also performed. Thirty-day in-hospital mortality was not observed in these groups. Over 5 years, out of 277 patients with bleeding from esophageal and gastric varices, 121 died, lethality was 43.7 %. Among 695 patients with portal hypertension hospitalized in the department of gastroenterology, 11 died, lethality was 1.6 %, total lethality — 13.6 %. Conclusions. Methods of endoscopic sclerotherapy and ligation in the treatment and prevention of acute bleeding from esophageal varices are preferred. Traditional laparoscopic and X-ray endovascular surgical technologies are effective reserve methods for the treatment and prevention of bleedings from esophageal and gastric varices.

A Novel Technique for Synchronous Laparoscopic Splenectomy and Azygoportal Disconnection With Hepatectomy.

Liver resection was not formerly recommended in patients with both hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and portal hypertension because of difficult perioperative bleeding control and postoperative liver failure. Splenectomy is a proven method with which to overcome these problems. To investigate the safety and feasibility of synchronous laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection with hepatectomy (LSDH) for treatment of portal hypertension accompanied with HCC, we describe a clinical cohort of 10 patients who underwent a new technique of synchronous LSDH. A cohort of 10 cirrhotic patients with HCC, esophageal/gastric variceal bleeding, and hypersplenism received LSDH. A 6-port method was used for LSDH. This procedure comprises 5 steps: laparoscopic splenectomy, intraoperative splenic blood salvage, laparoscopic azygoportal disconnection, laparoscopic partial hepatectomy, and removal of spleen and liver specimens. Intraoperative autologous cell salvage was performed before hepatectomy. LSDH was successful in all patients. There was no conversion to open operations. The operative time was 220.5 ± 19.8 minutes, blood loss was 264.0 ± 160.3 mL, and postoperative hospital stay was 10.2 ± 1.8 days. Selective synchronous LSDH is a feasible, effective, and safe surgical procedure with satisfactory short-term efficacy. It is a promising minimally invasive treatment option for patients with cirrhotic HCC and portal hypertension.

Individualized Laparoscopic Therapy for Portal Hypertension: A Preliminary Single Center Experience.

To investigate the effects and technical points of several individualized laparoscopic therapies for patients suffering from cirrhotic portal hypertension. In total, 385 cirrhotic patients who underwent the treatment of individualized laparoscopic therapy from February 2012 to December 2015 at the Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University were enrolled in this study. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and the key technical points. Individualized laparoscopic therapies were successfully performed on 379 of 385 cases. Six cases were converted to a laparotomy (the rate of conversion to laparotomy was 1.6%). Modified laparoscopic splenectomy (MLS) for cirrhotic patients with hypersplenism was successfully performed on 103 of 105 cases. Laparoscopic azygoportal disconnection for cirrhotic patients with esophagogastric variceal bleeding (EGVB) or F3 varices was successfully performed on 61 of 62 cases, and modified laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection (MLSD) for cirrhotic patients with hypersplenism and EGVB or F3 varices was successfully performed on 196 of 201 cases. Synchronous MLS and laparoscopic partial hepatectomy (SLSH) for cirrhotic patients with hypersplenism and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and synchronous MLSD and laparoscopic partial hepatectomy (SLSDH) for cirrhotic patients with hypersplenism, EGVB or F3 varices and HCC were all successfully implemented on 12 and 5 patients, respectively. From May 2013, we used the intraoperative autologous cell salvage during each individualized laparoscopic procedure. An individualized laparoscopic therapy was beneficial for different state of selected cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension with or without HCC.

Laparoscopic azygoportal disconnection with and without splenectomy for portal hypertension

IntroductionLaparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection (LSD) has been reported to be safe, feasible, and minimally invasive for cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension. There is still controversy as to whether it is necessary to perform synchronous splenectomy for patients with moderate hypersplenism who undergo azygoportal disconnection for esophagogastric variceal hemorrhage (EGVB). MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated the outcomes in 51 cirrhotic patients with EGVB and moderate hypersplenism (PLT ≥50 × 109/L) who underwent LSD (n = 28) or laparoscopic azygoportal disconnection (LD) (n = 23) between January 2014 and October 2015. Their demographic, intraoperative, and postoperative variables were compared. ResultsLSD and LD were successful in all the patients. When compared with LSD, LD had a significantly shorter operation time, less intraoperative blood loss, shorter postoperative hospital stay, fewer days of postoperative body temperature >38.0 °C, lower rate of fever postoperatively, and lower C-reactive protein concentration and procalcitonin concentration on postoperative day (POD) 7 (all P < 0.05). The incidences of portal vein system thrombosis in the LD group on PODs 7, 30, and 90 were significantly lower than those in the LSD group at all the time points (all P < 0.05). According to the postoperative serum proportions of CD4+ and CD8+ and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio (all P < 0.05), the LSD group had significantly lower immune function than the LD group on POD 90. ConclusionsLD is safe and effective for EGVB with moderate hypersplenism secondary to portal hypertension in selected patients.

Treatment of portal hypertension with laparoscopic azygoportal disconnection

Objective To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection.Methods From January 2000 to April 2007, 30 patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension, secondary hypersplenism, and bleeding from the upper alimentary tract were op-erated with laparoscopic splenectomy and devascularization of the lower esophagus and upper stomach in our hospital.For 30 patients, 2 were firstly operated with a small accessory incision, then the lower esophagus was transected and reanastromosed with a circular stapler, and 3 were operated entirely un-der laparoscopy to complete the transaction and reanastomosation of the lower esophagus with a circu-lar stapler.Results Operation on the 30 patients were successful without a single conversion from laparoscopic to open surgery.The operative duration varied from 4 to 5.5 hours, and the bleeding vol-ume were between 60 to 400 ml.The fart was resumed between 24 to 96 hours after operation.There were no serous complications.The duration of hospitalization was 8-15 days (mean= 12 days).The up GI X-ray examination revealed that esophageal variees was significantly attenuated 1 month after surgery.The follow-up in twenty-two patients for 1 month to 4 years after surgery indicated that hy-persplenism was virtually corrected, no hepatic encephalopathy was found, and no hematemesis and melena occurred.Conclusion Laparoscopic splenectomy and devasclarization of the lower esophagus and upper stomach are safe and effective, providing a new alternative choice to treat portal hyperten-sion and bleeding from the upper digestive tract. Key words: Hypertension portal; Laparoscopic; Splenectomy; Azygoportal disconnection

Laparoscopic Azygoportal Disconnection Procedure with a Bipolar Feedback Controlled Sealing System in a Porcine Model 1

To examine the feasibility of a new, minimally invasive procedure for the devascularization of the proximal stomach and distal esophagus to prevent recurrent variceal bleeding in portal hypertension in a new animal model. Portal hypertension was created by laparoscopic clip ligation of the portal vein on 20 pigs. After 2 weeks the azygoportal disconnection procedure was performed with the LigaSure-ATLAS instrument. There were 16 pigs out of 20 that survived both operations. Two died during introduction of anesthesia, one because of a cardiac arrest (second operation). One pig died resulting from necrosis of the gastric and esophageal wall. Autopsy (2 weeks later) showed that there was a complete arterial devascularization. At autopsy, none of the remaining 16 pigs had esophageal varices or necrosis of the stomach or esophagus. Laparoscopic azygoportal disconnection is a less invasive method for the prevention of rebleeding and seems to be safely performed with the LigaSure-ATLAS instrument.